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Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp
Sawyer Community Fund Announces $58,050 in New Grant Awards
Published: July 25, 2023 at
02:30 p.m.
By: Press Release from Northern New York Community
Foundation
Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp
Sawyer Community Fund Announces $58,050 in New Grant Awards
Fourteen Organizations Will Share Support for Broad
Range of Projects and Programs
BOONVILLE — Fourteen
community projects and organizations that benefit Boonville,
Constableville, and Westernville residents will
share $58,050 in funding from the Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Community Fund of the Northern New York
Community Foundation this year.
Support will help
fund programs and projects that broadly impact the quality of life for
residents in the three communities. Nearly two-dozen organizations applied
for grant funding in the sixth year of the grant program. In 2022, the
Sawyer Community Fund awarded $52,100 to 15 community-based organizations.
Thanks to the
enduring generosity of the Sawyers, the fund has provided more than
$250,000 in support to 75 organizations and projects since grant-making
efforts began in 2018.
The Kenneth V.
and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Community Fund was
established in 2018 as a geographic-specific fund to strengthen and enhance
the communities of Boonville, Constableville and Westernville.
The Sawyers were
passionate about the quality of life in their community, participating in
many activities and volunteering with several meaningful organizations.
Through the community fund, the Sawyer family established a lasting
charitable resource that will forever impact these communities.
“It is remarkable
to see the meaningful reach of the Sawyer family’s enduring gift,” said Max
DelSignore, Northern New York Community
Foundation assistant director. “This year’s grant awards will benefit
citizens of all ages, support a variety of community projects
and address essential needs. What Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer created speaks to the
strength of geographic giving as a true difference-maker for the
communities you care about most.”
The following
organizations will receive 2023 grant funding from the Sawyer Community
Fund:
Constableville Library Association — $8,000 to help
with renovations to the upper level of its building to create a new youth
space. Grant funding will be allocated to help purchase new furniture,
games, and electronics. The expansion will greatly enhance the educational
and recreational opportunities for children and families.
Erwin Library and Institute — $7,500 to aid
with improvements to the basement, which hosts a variety of children’s
programs. Upgrades include window replacements and a new heating unit,
along with structural repairs and abate issues that have caused water
damage and heating loss during winter months.
Boonville Cemetery Association — $7,000 to
address several broken, fallen, and tipped headstones in the 166-year-old
cemetery. Funding will be allocated to purchase a tombstone jack and hire
an outside firm to power wash older stones.
Boonville Fire Company — $6,000 to
purchase the last three portable digital radios needed to outfit all
officers and comply with a required equipment update.
Dodge Pratt Northam Art and Community
Center — $5,000 to support art classes for children ages 5 to 15, a
musical production for children ages 7 to 18, a drama program this fall,
and a growing LEGO Robotics program for students ages 9 to 12. The wide
variety of programs provides children a pathway
for enrichment and growth outside of school.
Constable Hall Association — $4,800 to
purchase garden benches for the grounds at Constable Hall. Up to nine
benches will be placed near the community gardens and a trail on the hall
grounds enabling visitors to enjoy the grounds and enhance their overall
experience.
Adirondack Community Chorus — $4,500 to help
with production costs of another musical revue in the Boonville area in
spring 2024. The performance will be held at Adirondack Central School’s
elementary building. Grant funding will support personnel costs for the
performance (writer, director, choreographer, and piano accompanist).
Village of Boonville — $4,000 to help
install a hydration station at Erwin Park near the splash pad to give
residents and visitors a covered location for snacks and drinks. Funding
will support material costs. Lost Trail Snowmobile
Club — $3,000 for new safety signage and materials to make trails safer.
Enhancements will also provide more directional and business information to
riders and trail users. The organization is securing and pursuing
additional funding, along with this grant, with a goal to implement
upgrades before year-end.
Constableville Volunteer Fire Company — $2,500 to help
purchase a new utility truck to respond to accidents/events in inclement
weather, help facilitate community activities, and transport members to
training, education, and other functions.
Boonville Black River Canal Museum — $2,000 to
upgrade its website. The museum plans a more modern site that is easier to
navigate, obtain research and inform patrons and guests of activities.
Grant funding will support project implementation.
Boonville Search and Rescue Association — $1,575 to
purchase training kits for a two-day compass and CPR/wilderness/first aid
course. Officials plan to partner with local boy and girl scout
organizations to train up to 20 people from ages 13 to adult.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) — $1,175 to
acquire supplies to continue the basic income tax return preparation
program that serves village residents. Approximately 250 returns were
completed last year, and program officials hope to expand the service.
Young at Heart Senior Citizens Group — $1,000 to
provide meaningful activities and access to the elderly population residing
in Boonville. The group delivers organized community activities and trips
for local seniors.
About Kenneth V.
and Jeannette Remp Sawyer
 Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer participated in many
community events and activities through the years and served on local
boards and committees. Mr. Sawyer was a Boonville native, served in the
United States Army, and enjoyed a career at Layng
Furniture Company and as a supervisor at Boonville’s Erwin Park. Most
notably, he was a talented musician. He played tenor saxophone in his high
school band and clarinet with the Boonville Village Band. He frequently
played with three separate drum and bugle corps in Boonville and Rome. Mr.
Sawyer passed away in 2008.
Mrs. Sawyer
completed a successful career of more than 45 years at Rome Savings Bank
and was an avid follower of the stock market. She also served on the
finance committee of Boonville United Methodist Church. She assisted
organizations such as the Daughters of the
American Revolution, Dodge Pratt Northam Art and Community Center, the
Erwin Library, and the Boonville Cemetery. Mrs. Sawyer passed away in 2015.
In 2017, the
Kenneth V. Sawyer and Jeannette Remp Sawyer
Scholarship Fund was established through the Northern New York Community
Foundation to benefit Adirondack Central School graduates. The endowed fund
will award two scholarships each year forever, supporting the business and
music pursuits of high school graduates from the district.
The application
for the next grant cycle for funding from the Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Community Fund will be available in early
2024.
About the
Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the
Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and
enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson,
Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through
partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and
generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards
grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that
benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve
their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving
and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community
Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors,
professional advisors and nonprofit organizations.
It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the
Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities
face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a
great place to live, work, and play.
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